I promise to love you, Maddy Shannon
by xoxo.Amethyzt.xoxo
Summary: Mark invites Maddy on a midnight rendezvous, but it turned out to be so much more than just a simple lunar eclipse viewing. Rated T, reviews are appreciated :
1. Chapter 1 Lunar Eclipse

**Disclaimer- I do not own Terra Nova or the characters. Either way, to own them I think I might have to come through that portal myself, and I don't have any Terra's :/**

**The story plot however is very much mine, as well as anything else my little mind ****conjured up :)**

**Enjoy!**

**.xoxo**

* * *

><p>Maddy Shannon waited anxiously by her window, listening both for the continuing pattern of Zoe's breaths that meant she was still sleeping, and for the footsteps she was excited to hear. It was fifteen minutes after one in the morning, and the only light that entered her bedroom came from the moon, casting a pale glow on the floor beneath her window, where she sat underneath the window sill. She didn't know what was taking Mark so long, he was supposed to have been here half an hour ago. To her relief, she heard his footsteps outside, the steady walk of a soldier who's just been released from duty. She stood up, and smiled when she met his blue eyes. Quietly, she opened the window, and with Mark's help, she crawled out.<p>

Maddy melted into his embrace when he eagerly brought his lips to hers. She sighed contently into his mouth, and proceeded to lead a trail of kisses from his mouth to his jaw.

"Ready?" he said, hugging her closer to him.

"You're late" She leaned her head against his chest, hearing his heartbeat, and closed her eyes.

"Dunham was late to his shift, I covered for him until he got there. We've got to hurry now or we'll miss the beginning" Mark took her by the hand and led her away from her house, out into the empty street.

"The beginning? Mark, where are we _going_?"

"Do you trust me?" he smirked, and Maddy rolled her eyes afternoon, Mark had slipped a note into her pocket on her way to pick up some groceries in the market. When she asked what it was about, Mark told her with a playful glint in his eyes to read it in private. She had shaken her head and smiled, not knowing what the heck he was up to.

The note had merely said:

"_Wait for me by your window at a quarter to one. No questions… Just trust me. -Mark"_

"This better be good Mark, since you're getting me out of bed at ungodly hours of the night. It would be quite a scandal if anyone saw." she faked a yawn, and Mark laughed despite himself.

"Then let's hope they don't" he whispered in her ear, sending chills down her spine at his boldness.

They both knew her resistance was all for fun, because if it ever came down to it, Maddy would follow Mark blindly to the end of the earth, metaphorically speaking of course because since the earth is round, there really is no end, just like there is no beginning. This both terrified and enlightened Maddy because she knew she loved Mark and she knew she always would. She knew most girls her age said that about their boyfriends, and though they have only been together for a couple of months, she just knew deep down that feelings like these only came once in a lifetime, and she was petrified of the possibility of her getting hurt. That cloud always lingered above them, with Mark being OTG all the time and though the threat of the sixers was no longer there, (them being in the badlands and all) the sixers didn't take with them the many carnos, slashers, and any other man-eating dinosaur that roamed just outside the gates. She'd seen the faces of wives and girlfriends whose husband or boyfriend had gone missing, or killed in an OTG mission. She'd heard enough sobs and wails. She didn't want to become on of _them_.

When Wash was killed, she saw Commander's Taylor's face. That's all it took for her to tie all the loose ends between them. The countless shared looks, the private laughs… She had passed Taylor's office the other day looking for her dad, and saw him shedding a few quiet tears while looking at a picture of Alicia on his tags.

"Here we are" Mark announced, jolting her from her thoughts.

Maddy looked around, and saw nothing of the ordinary, just an empty garden in the back of Terra Nova, a few yards from the fence. "What's so special about this place?" She asked outright as Mark motioned her towards the bench on the outskirts of the garden.

"Look up" He answered, as the sat down.

Her eyes met the moon, it's large and spherical form hanging in front of them, beyond the fence and trees and many, many miles into the night sky.

Just like any other night.

"The moon. What about it?"

Mark smiled the grin of a man who has a secret he knows someone else would like to know, and looked up at the moon.

"There's a lunar eclipse tonight" Maddy almost smacked herself. Of Course! The Lunar eclipse! She had read about it on the daily newspage on her plex, but that along with the possible cure for breast cancer Malcolm had proposed, and the mentions of an upcoming OTG convoy that would be sending both soldiers and scientists to study the carnos in a "controlled environment" (whatever that meant anyways) and the very big possibility of Mark being in it had overwhelmed her and the lunar eclipse was forgotten.

"You're leaving for that OTG convoy tomorrow… Right?" she asked, hating the girlish fear that could be heard in her trembling voice.

Mark, looked down at her, and putting his arm around her small frame, and kissed the top of her head.

"I love you, Maddy. Isn't that enough? That we're here, together? Will that ever be enough?"

Maddy felt the tears stinging her eyes, and she felt them roll down her cheeks.

" No Mark… It will never be enough. I could spend an eternity with you and it wouldn't be enough. I love you so much.."

"Let's start with now then, and create our own little eternity" Mark tilted her face up to his, and for one slow second, with their lips barely grazing each other, everything changed.

Their lips met in heat, now not searching for comfort in each other, but rapidly craving everything from the other. Her mouth opened slightly, and he sighed against it as she nibbled on his lower lip. Everything he tasted was _her_. Perfect Maddy who tasted like nothing he had ever had. He put his hands on her waist, and her hands slid up his back and into his hair. He shuddered against her, and she pulled away, kissing him on the cheek, the neck, his shoulder.

"The eclipse is starting" she whispered brokenly, catching her breath.

Mark composed himself, and kissed her hair.

" I guess it is" Mark murmured.

The moon slowly faded into the darkness, and Maddy couldn't stop staring. She had never seen a lunar eclipse, only read about it in Ken Horton's book and such. She had never seen something so slow, be so captivating.

While Maddy watched the eclipse, Mark watched her. The way her eyes glinted in the moonlight, the soft waves of her hair cascading down her back, her small smile on her kiss-swollen lips. She was perfect, and one day, she would be his. Only his. He knew that coveting was a sin, but with Maddy Shannon, it didn't matter. He would never love another with the same tenderness, the same passion he loved her. As the light faded, and it became pitch-black with the absence of the moon, he felt Maddy snuggle up against him.

"Mark?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm never going to stop worrying about you, you do know that?"

"Permission to remain silent?" he joked, and Maddy nudged him.

"Permission denied" she laughed.

"Yes, Maddy.. . I know, I wish you wouldn't, but if I were in your shoes, I would do the same thing."

"Why are you a soldier?"

"For us. For your parents, for your sister, for your brother. Maddy, my family is gone. They're back in 2149, and I'm here, with you. I became a soldier to protect the people I care about. To help defend what is right and the reason why we came here, to Terra Nova. I love you Maddy, and that's why I'm a soldier. To protect you" Maddy stayed quiet for a while, and then asked the question that had been eating her inside all week.

"So is it true you're going to be the next lieutenant? Since Wash…"Mark closed his eyes, and said the frankest answer he could.

"I don't know" She nodded, and rest her head once again on his shoulder.

"We should be getting back, its almost four o'clock in the morning." Mark picked her up, and began carrying her towards her house.

She felt asleep in his arms, and awoke a few hours later, in her bed with the cover all around her, her window shut, and a note and small box in her nightstand.

She picked up the note, and the words scrawled on it nearly brought her to tears.

' _I can't promise you an eternity, but I can promise you I want one. The ring shows that the promise is set in stone, literally. I promise to love you, and to give us a chance at an eternity, and I promise that I will do everything in my power to always come back to you. -Mark'_

She opened the little black velvet box, to see a white gold ring with a teardrop emerald set in the center, and little diamonds dotting the edges where the emerald touched the band. In the inside of the band, he had engraved two words that meant more to her that she could ever fathom.

_I promise…_

* * *

><p><strong>Hoped you like it, drop a review on your way out ;) and maybe i'll make it a two-shot<em> :3<em>**

**.xoxo**


	2. Chapter 2 Backup Plan

**Disclaimer: I do not own Terra Nova or it's characters...**

**Okay here's a little sidenote for this one,**

**There has been sort of a confusion with the ring and I hope this chapter clears it up.**

**Yep, I said chapter... I think this might evolve into a multi-chapter story :)**

**.xoxo**

* * *

><p>Maddy smiled all throughout breakfast, sneaking glances at her new ring. She loved the way the emerald glinted in the sunlight, and though she wanted to wait for an opportune moment to show her parents, she could not contain the giggles that erupted from her sporadically. Josh looked at her as if she was crazy, shook his head, and then continued to eat his breakfast. Elizabeth Shannon raised an eyebrow, but said nothing and her husband was to wrapped up in his own head to realize the glow that was emanating from his seventeen year old daughter.<p>

"Maddy, you haven't touched your breakfast" Her mom reprimanded lightly.

Maddy laughed loudly, and now she had everyone's attention, including her father's.

She realized what she had done, and stupidly put both of her hands to her mouth, her left hand overlapping the right.

She heard her dad sputter, choking on his orange juice, her mother gasp, and her brother laugh under his breath.

"MADDY! What is the meaning of that!" Jim Shannon lost his composure, standing up and banging his fists on the table. "That better not be what I think it is, or I swear to God that I will shoot Reynolds point-blank"

"Jim!" Her mother scolded.

"No Elizabeth, she is too young to think about marriage! She's only seventeen for heaven's sake! Reynolds promised me he would wait, I should've known he was a -"Jim Shannon's rant was interrupted by his daughter's laughter.

"What's so funny Maddy?" Her mother questioned, an incredulous look upon her face.

"Damn it, Maddy this is _not_ funny" Jim fumed.

Maddy just laughed harder, and Josh held her up before she slipped from the stool.

"Maddy are you high? Do you want to die?" Josh whispered harshly to her.

All the while this went on, Zoe watched from her spot on the kitchen table, and said the worst thing she could have.

"Is that why you left last night? When I woke up Mark was tucking you in" her innocent voice resonated through the deathly silence that ensured.

Maddy had enough reason to stop laughing. Now this, was something she wasn't planning to ever tell. _Damn_…

Jim raised up his hands, as in mock surrender.

"That's it, forget me shooting him point-blank. I am going to shoot him in his stomach and place him in a carno nest. Now you tell me Maddy, exactly what went on last night, and if I should castrate him before I kick him into the carno nest."

"Thanks Zoe" Maddy muttered. She glanced around at her parents, her brother actually for once looking sorry for her, the little braniac who never did anything wrong. Her mom was calm and controlled, but under that façade she could see her disappointment leaking through. Her dad was the complete opposite. He was completely red in the face, shaking in anger, with his fists balled up on the table and his eyes boring into hers harshly, so much that she had to look away.

"Maddy" Her mother warned.

Maddy bit her lip, the situation having gone way out of control. She closed her eyes, and sighed before beginning her explanation.

"Look, Mark slipped me a note yesterday afternoon telling me to wait for him by my bedroom window at midnight. He didn't explain what for, he just asked me to trust him."

"And you did?" Her dad questioned.

"Of course I did, Dad. Last night he met me, I snuck out of my window and he walked me to this garden at the back of Terra Nova. I don't know if you guys knew, but there was a lunar eclipse last night. He just took me to get a better view of it and we watched it together."

"And what happened when it got completely dark?" Jim's accusing tone made her cringe.

"Nothing, we talked, I fell asleep and then he took me home. I woke up and there was he ring with a note. That's all that happened"

"Can we see the note?" Her mom asked lightly.

"No.. It's… Private" Maddy murmured.

"And I'm guessing the fact that you're wearing the ring this morning means you accept his proposal?" Elizabeth raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips.

Maddy smiled.

"That's where you're wrong. It's not an engagement ring. It's a _promise _ring"

Realization dawned on her mother, and she smiled.

"Now _that, _makes sense"

"Promise for what exactly?" Jim sputtered.

"For our future. He wasn't lying when he told you he would wait, and by giving me this ring" she held up her left hand "he's really just showing you he's serious"

"So does that mean I can't shoot him?"

Maddy laughed."No, Dad… Not today"

Josh shook his head, disbelieving the way things turned out. Could miss-perfect ever get in trouble?As he saw his mother fawning over the ring and his dad's head set in resignation, he received an answer.

No, she couldn't.

He walked out of the house for some air, and no one but Maddy noticed his absence.

Back inside, Maddy was happy, but she when she felt her brother leave, she excused herself with a smile, and followed him out.

"Josh!" she walked fast to catch up with him.

"What do you want Maddy?"

"Why are you acting like this?" She grabbed his arm and turned him around.

"Acting like what?"

"Like that!"

"Look Maddy, I love you. But I can't really be part of your happily-ever-after" he turned and kept on walking and Maddy knew her brother enough to know not to follow him.

Even though she knew that her brother was still grieving after Kara's death, she shook her head at him, mad because he was acting like a baby. She knew he loved Kara, but obviously he loved Skye just as much. She couldn't understand because she'd never been in his shoes. But Maddy had enough common sense to know that Josh needed to grow up. When he got involved with the sixers, she never judged him. He did it for Kara. When they found out of Kara's death, she was there stroking his back as he cried. When she walked in on him and Skye making out a week later, she left before they noticed her presence. Josh didn't know what he wanted, and in the end of the day, it was him who acted as the victim of this "cruel world". Josh needed to get rid of his blinders. Yeah, she did expect him to be happy for her, not to make it about him. Maybe she expected to much… Or maybe she was just making excuses up for Josh. At least he had a backup plan. If something ever happened to Mark, she would have absolutely nothing.._._

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, so what do you think? No Mark in this one :( But he'll be in the next one I promise! Its a little short, but I wanted to update something for you guys so... Drop a review on your way out :3<strong>

**.xoxo**


	3. Chapter 3 Volunteer

**Disclaimer: I don't own Terra Nova or the characters in it... at the moment... ;)**

**Here's another chapter!  
>Hope you guys enjoy it<strong>

**.xoxo**

* * *

><p>After Josh walked away, Maddy slowly made her way to the soldier barracks. She passed the market place and was about to round about the corner of the science division when she overheard Commander Taylor and Malcolm arguing, something not out of the ordinary for the head of the science department. She bet that the man would argue with himself if he was left with no other option. It made her shudder at the thought of her mother and him dating back in the day. What did she <em>ever<em> see in him? There weren't many good qualities about Malcolm besides him being possibly one of the smartest men she had ever met and the most passionate about his field. But then again, who was she to judge? As far as she was concerned, Mark fell in love with her brains…Or so she thought.

"Malcolm you need more scientists!" Taylor's voice rose.

"With all due respect, Commander Taylor, you know very well we don't have many actual scientists here with all the qualifications for this mission as well as you know that they _must_ be volunteers!"

"Well round up more volunteers!"

"The mission leaves in an hour!"

"Then I will have to cancel it. There is no use putting my men in danger if there are no scientists on the mission. My men fight well and will defend them if they see necessary but for God's sake they are no Dino experts. They know enough to fight and kill them and keep them away, but I have a feeling that for this mission, those are not the only requirements!" Taylor banged his fist on the counter, and she saw Malcolm shrink back.

"You cannot cancel it! Right now is the perfect time to observe them! It's right on mating season and for some odd reason, they are less aggressive! If we chose another time to observe, they will be more aggressive and more likely that the mission would be a failure!"

"Fine then Malcolm… I give you half an hour to round up one more scientist, just one, and your mission will continue as planned." Taylor turned to leave.

Mark was going on that mission…

It was now or never, Maddy Shannon had to make a split second decision. She just hoped she would make the right one.

"I volunteer!" she stepped in the lab, and smiled at the commander and the shocked head of the science department.

"Perfect. The mission will continue as planned" Taylor left the building leaving only Maddy and Malcolm.

"Commander! No she cannot! She is only an intern!"

"Malcolm, you know I can do this" she insisted "I know almost everything there is to know about the wildlife in this place and you need one more scientist…"

"Maddy I have no doubt that your addition into this mission would be wonderful, however that being said, your father will never let you go, he'd skin me alive if he found out I was going to authorize it!""So you are authorizing it?" Maddy smiled.

"I- uh-ah" Malcolm groaned and sighed, rubbing his face with his palm.

"Do I have a choice?"

Maddy laughed.

"I don't think so.. Leave my dad to me. I'll be at the front in an hour" She called as she raced home.

She would just surprise Mark at the gates.

When she got to her house, she haphazardly started throwing clothes, supplies, and her precious plex into a duffel bag. She was double-checking to see if she had everything, when her dad walked into the room.

"Maddy, what are you doing?"

She sighed, and took her duffel bag in one hand.

"I'm leaving on the OTG mission"

Jim stared at her, and the burst into laughter.

"I'm not joking"Then his composure changed entirely.

"Absolutely not"

"Dad, they need me"

"You're too young"

"Dad I'm just as knowledgeable as the next scientist"

"You forget you're just an intern"

"And you forget that I can take care of myself"

"Of course you can sweetie, but not against slashers"

"Carnotauruses. We're observing Carnotauruses" she calmly corrected.

"Even worse Maddy. You're not going."

"Yes I am dad… I know you're worried because I'm your little girl and everything, but I'm growing up and you need to let go. Besides, if you're worried about my safety, Mark is going on it too and I can guarantee that when he finds out he will be monitoring me 24/7."

"And that's supposed to make me feel better? Knowing that my daughter and her boyfriend are going to be all alone in the jungle?"

"Dad, Malcolm is going"At this her father laughed.

"I'm getting nowhere with this, am I?" Maddy bit her lip.

"You're damn right you're not going anywhere."

"Jim" her mother's voice appeared out of nowhere.

"Elizabeth, what are you doing here, I thought you were on duty?" her father asked.

"Maddy will go on the mission" Her mother stated and Maddy nearly fainted with relief while her father had a heart attack at her words.

"What are you saying?" He asked.

"She will go because I will accompany her. Taylor just appointed me into the mission because the field doctor has fallen ill."

"If you're going, then so will I"

"No Jim, the mission could take five days at the most, and the Zoe and Josh need you here." Her father walked over to her, put his arm around her waist and kissed her forehead before sighing in resignation.

"Fine… But both of you… Please be careful" Jim pleaded, his forehead resting against his wife's.

* * *

><p>"No Maddy! You are not coming with me!" Mark threw his stuff in the back of his rover.<p>

"Mark, stop being difficult! I'm coming and there's no way you're changing my mind!"

"Maddy, it's dangerous out there! You have no idea!"

"I don't? Oh yeah of course I don't, because our first date wasn't spent sleeping on a Goddamned tree covered in muck!"

"That's not what I meant, and you know that!" Mark ran his hand through his hair, clearly upset that not only were they having this conversation in plain view, but that they were even having this argument at all.

"No I don't. Because I'm just an ignorant teenager who-"

Her words were silenced immediately when Mark brought his lips forcefully to hers, ignoring the catcalls that followed. She held on to him, her arms wrapping around his neck and just when she was about to really deepen the kiss, he pulled away and murmured in her ear.

"You're not going"

Maddy kissed his jaw and whispered passionately.

"Of course I am"

Mark groaned, and gave in when she began nibbling on his earlobe.

"And if I go, we'll spend _a lot _of quality time together"

"You're evil" Mark laughed, deep in his throat, and took her bag from her and tossed it in with his.

"So does this mean I'm riding with you?"

"I would hope you ride with him, my rover's full" her mother passed by with a wink and a silent promise in her eyes.

It said:

_I won't tell your father_

With that, Maddy climbed aboard the rover, plex in hand, and Mark walked around to the driver's side.

Once they raised the gates, Mark drove them away from the colony, and turned to her.

"Hope you're not having second thoughts"

"I could never, knowing that I am in such capable hands"Mark laughed once again and grabbed her hand while maintaining one on the steering wheel.

"You trust me too much" "Well, you did promise to take care of me" Maddy wiggled her left hand.

"You're wearing it" he smiled.

"Of course, a promise is a promise, right?" Maddy smiled and leaned over to kiss his cheek.

"Now take me to those carno's, soldier" she winked.

"Maddy... Carno's are not a joke" Mark said, all playfullness gone .

"I know, I'm just making light out of the situation" she looked down at their joined hands and sighed.

"Its okay babe, just stay with me most of the time please, I'll worry much-" Mark stopped when he felt her gaze

"What?"  
>You called me 'babe' " Maddy laughed.<p>

"I can't call you babe?" he raised an eyebrow and smirked at her.

Maddy grinned, and shook her head playfully.

"Well then... Too _damn _bad babe"

She threw her head back and laughed, glad that he was here with her, because she wouldn't have the courage to be around the carnos, if it was anyone else sitting next to her, smiling like she was the only other person in the universe.

* * *

><p><strong>How was it? I tried to capture another side of Mark because all we ever see him in the series is be either nervous, romantic and gentlemanly, or in his soldier-mode. I tried to show that Maddy and his relationship isn't always perfect and that like every couple they argue... so anyways Drop a review :)<strong>

**.xoxo**


	4. Chapter 4 Rest Stop

**Disclaimer: I do not own Terra Noava or its characters... **

**Okay this is a short one, but I think it works. **

**Enjoy!**

**.xoxo**

* * *

><p>They drove for about three hours, and Maddy estimated they were about sixteen clicks out already, and Mark showed no signs of being almost there. However, she did expect the nests to be quite a distance away from Terra Nova, since it was rare to see any other type of carnivorous dinosaur -besides slashers- around the colony. She had only ever seen a live carno during the first week when she came through the portal. Right after she saw him eat a sixer as if he was a mere shish kabob. The image was really reassuring… Yep..<p>

"You're having second thoughts" Mark announced, keeping his gaze straight.

Maddy remained silent, not knowing how to respond.

"And the motor mouth Maddy Shannon is speechless! Is the world about to end?" he joked, squeezing her hand.

"You're not funny Mark" She said making a face at him.

He laughed softly, then turned to give her a quick look.

"But you are, aren't you?" "I don't regret coming with you, I'm actually quite excited" She began, and she wasn't lying. The prospects of being with Mark for the next few days thrilled her, but she couldn't pretend they were on a mere vacation. She was here to work, and Mark was here to protect her and the rest of the scientists.

"That being said, I'm worried about Malcolm's confidence on the low aggression levels. I mean they go against everything I've read on my plex, as well as any common sense. If carnos are mating, shouldn't that make them even more aggressive? I mean I know that if _I_ was mating I wouldn't want any _disturbances _or people _watching_ like serious-"

Her words were interrupted by a flow of deep laughter. She whipped her head around at Mark, who was trying to contain his laughter but was outwardly failing.

"There's the motor mouth" he grinned, and tipped her chin towards him and lightly flicking her nose. "And now I know for sure will want to get away when she is _mating_" he dragged out the word slowly, a smirk set upon his lips.

Her face turned a shade of crimson, and she laughed nervously, the embarrassment of her words clouding her mind. How could she have said that aloud? She snorted quietly and thought:

_At least it was better than the dinosaur teeth conversation._

"How much farther?" she asked, trying to change the subject.

"We're about halfway, so about three more hours, maybe less" She nodded, and glanced at her plex, continuing her research on carnos. She was almost to their mating chapter, when she heard the familiar crackle of Mark's communicator.

"Reynolds? Do you copy?" Taylor's voice rang through, hearty and strong.

"This is Reynolds.""We're stopping for a rest over there in the shaded clearing. Park your rover, but leave it powered up just in case we need to make a run for it. There's no telling what is prancing about this region""Copy that" mark put the communicator down, and started towards the line of rovers ahead of him.

"Ready for a break?" Mark said, as he parked.

"I just want to stretch my legs" She turned off her plex, and opened the door of the rover, leaving it on the seat.

"Mads, stay where I can see you ok?" he walked around to her, his gun slung on his back.

"I'll be fine Mark, go to Taylor" she smiled, knowing he had to report for duty.

He nodded, keeping his gaze locked on hers, before walking back to Taylor. When he left, she walked over to her mother who was helping to hand out water bottles, and those little silver meal on-the-go packets.

"Mom, need an extra hand?" Elizabeth Shannon turned to her, nodding absentmindedly, the way she does when her mind is far away. Maddy had no doubt in her mind that her mother was concentrating on making a mental estimation of all the colonists on the mission and exactly how long it would take to load on the rovers if anything disturbed them. And by anything disturbing them, she knew her mother was thinking of the nyko's that could be heard in the distance.

"Its okay mom, Taylor has his men probably minding the perimeter." she offered her mom a small smile, and her mom handed her a basket full of rations.

"Then I guess those soldiers are going to be quite hungry" her mother smiled knowingly " and I'm sure Mark is dying for something to drink" she winked, and Maddy shook her head and scoffed at her mother's teasing. Holding the basket with both hands, she walked over to Reilly.

"Where are the soldiers stationed?" She asked, while handing Reilly her ration.

"They're circling this whole area, fifty feet radius. Mark is over there" she pointed to his form out in the distance, and thanked Reilly.

As she made her way towards him, she smiled lovingly at his tense form, gun aimed at the jungle. With every step she took, she came nearer to him, and when she was almost there, he turned around and grinned. She sauntered over to him and gave him a kiss on his cheek.

"Hungry?" She offered the basket to him.

Mark smiled, his posture relaxing, and causally slung the gun on his back before taking her basket from her, and setting it on the floor.

"Very" he replied before giving her a chaste kiss. And then another, and another, until Maddy pulled away with a giggle.

"Shouldn't you be minding the perimeter?" she asked, as she bent down and picked up the basket.

"I should be, but a certain little somebody is being a bad influence on me" he picked up his own ration, and opened his water bottle, chugging a big portion of it down.

"Well that certain little somebody needs to be on her way" she smiled, and started to walk away.

"Be careful, Maddy… There are some nykos nearby. If you hear something near you, you run" Mark commanded seriously, worry etched into his forehead.

"I'll be fine, Mark. Honestly" Maddy walked away, in the direction of the next thirsty soldier. She would be fine. Nykos didn't usually hunt during the day, but she understood Mark's worry. You could never be too careful.

* * *

><p><strong>So how was it? Hope I kept everything believable and all. :) Drop a review!<strong>

**.xoxo**


	5. Chapter 5 Not in Terra Nova

**Disclaimer- I do not own Terra Nova or the characters. They belong rightfully to Fox atm**

**Here's the latest update!  
><strong>

**.xoxo**

* * *

><p>She handed out rations to each and every soldier that was minding the perimeter. As she made her way back around towards Mark, she glanced at her basket. There were two more water bottles and two more meal packets. Maddy hadn't eaten anything since breakfast, and she decided to eat with Mark. He had wanted her to stay close anyhow. She walked over to him, and he still stood at his full height, his eyes focused straight ahead. "Care for seconds?" She smiled as he turned around, an eyebrow raised in surprise.<p>

"Did you eat?" he asked, giving her a once-over, and then switching his gaze to her face once he realized she wasn't hurt.

"No, I thought I'd wait to eat with you" she gestured to her basket, the contents moving around.

"That's fine, actually Reilly's coming over right now to take over my position." He nodded as he saw her walking towards them, and with a tilt of her head, told Mark to take off and rest.

"Come on, let's eat by the rover" Mark guided her elbow towards their parked rover.

"Why?" Maddy asked, and then it dawned on her. The nykos were getting closer.

"We've spotted some Nykos just a click away from here, we need to be prepared just in case. Taylor wants everybody as far from the perimeter as possible." He explained, backing up her assumptions.

They quickly walked to their rover, and Maddy opened the door to her side and sat sideways, her feet dangling out while Mark sat on the grass below her, his gun laying besides him. She opened a water bottle and drank, handing the second one to Mark, who was trying to untie her shoe playfully. She lightly kicked at him.

"You know, I'm giving you first priority with rations. You should stay on my good side" Maddy gave him a pointed look, and grinned.

"Oh yes, great goddess of the water bottles and the beef jerky" he raised and lowered his hands in mock worship.

Maddy made a face at him before correcting him.

"Actually Mark its not really beef jerky its actually-"Mark held a hand up, and shook his head.

"I know what it is. Trust me, but saying its beef jerky makes me believe its actually edible" he chuckled, wiping his mouth with his sleeve.

"It is edible, it has all the proteins we need and just because its not a cow doesn't make..it." she stopped talking when she saw Mark's face scrounge up in distaste. "Okay I get it. I'll stop" Maddy laughed, and got out of the rover so that she sat next to him.

"Seeing as you upset my stomach, I think you owe me" Mark smiled devilishly, and put his arm around her.

Maddy scoffed and smiled, pushing his face away with her hand.

"You're taking advantage of the fact that my father isn't here" "I admit, but only a little" he kissed her hand, the one with the promise ring, and turned his clear blue orbs of his to her own dark eyes.

"I love you" Maddy rested her forehead against his, their eyes never losing connection.

"I love you more" he brought his lips to her for a quick peck.

"Liar" she murmured before bringing her lips to his, craving the heat between them, craving his touch, and aching to feel his love.

They lay back on the grass, rolling around until Maddy hovered over him, her lips softly caressing the skin of his jaw, and then making her way slowly down his neck. Mark groaned, his hands raking up her back, and Maddy in turn arching it slightly, so that her mouth just barely grazed his. Mark was about to roll her onto her back when their _moment _was interrupted by the sound of gun being fired and orders being yelled out for everyone to load onto the rovers. Maddy's head shot up and instantly searched for her mom, relieved when she saw her climb a rover a couple feet away. She looked back as Mark brought her to her feet, guiding her and almost practically stuffing her in the rover . She managed to get a quick glimpse, and the view froze her in fear. There were almost two dozen nykos, surrounding the clearing. That was all she saw before Mark closed the rover door and ran to the other side, got on, and drove off.

"What the hell just happened!" Madddy rose her voice in panic, staring at Mark, his face stern as he turned to her.

"You're not in Terra Nova anymore Maddy."

* * *

><p><strong>So... Nykos... enough said :) <strong>

**Drop a Review!**

**.xoxo**


	6. Chapter 6 Fears

**Disclaimer- I do not own Terra Nova :/**

**Sorry for the late update, but I hope this was worth the wait? **

**Enjoy!**

**.xoxo**

* * *

><p>Mark's communicator sprang to life, Maddy's mom's voice echoing from it.<p>

"Maddy, do you copy?" her mother's distinctive voice rose in alarm, and Maddy reached over to Mark's lap and grabbed it so that Mark didn't have to take his mind away from driving the rover.

"Its me mom, are you okay?"

"Am I okay? Are _you _okay?"

"I'm fine, Mom" she exhaled sharply " How long are they going to follow us for? Are we going to lose them somewhere along the way? What if they catch up?" She threw out questions with each breath, all the while trying to peer through the slits to get a view of the Nykoraptors that could be heard screeching nearby.

"We'll lose them soon" Maddy head Commander Taylor's voice in the background, glad that her mom was riding with someone she trusted wholly. "The thing with Nyko's is that as soon as the prey becomes too hard to catch, they give up. Hence why they like gallusaurs. Easy prey, quick meal"

"How many more clicks till we lose them?" Mark asked, never taking his eyes out of the path ahead of us.

"About two, maybe three if they haven't eaten in a while"

Mark nodded, and Maddy sighed in relief. The worst case scenario would have been to drag this pack of Nykos with them towards the carnotaur breeding grounds.

"Maddy?" Her mom asked.

"Yes?" Maddy tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, fidgetting nervously.

"You guys be careful okay?"

"Okay, mom. Love you"

"Love you too, sweetheart" Elizabeth Shannon, shut off communication and Maddy placed the communicator back in Mark's lap.

"Be glad they aren't slashers" she turned her head to Mark as he said this, a puzzled look upon her brow.

"Why?"

"Slashers would've probably already caught up with the rovers. They would be right above us right now" He said this as if he was commenting on breakfast or telling someone his favorite color, and his manner made Maddy shake her head incuriously.

"What's wrong?" He asked automatically.

"You're so calm about it. Like this happens everyday"

"_It does happen everyday_" he said chillingly, making her shudder at the coldness of his words.

"Maddy, this is my job. I know it seems extreme to you, but we're not in 2149, I thought you knew that already. Yeah, there are dangers in the future too, but instead of getting shot at for your re-breather, you're getting chased by Nykoraptor, or slashers, or Carnotaurs, or Allesaurs. Its _normal. _I know that once we get back to the colony you're going to freak out even more when I go OTG, but Maddy, this is my job. Running the risk of dying is part of the job description. It's what I do, to make sure you're safe" he glanced briefly at her, and they locked eyes. Their gaze was broken by a loud, angry screech, and maddy peered through the rover slits.

"They're retreating" She stated.

"Maddy-" Mark began, shooting her a pleading look.

"Its fine" she said, looking down, chagrined for her naivety.

"Maddy, look at me" Mark turned her chin towards him with his finger.

"I know you're scared, and I'm scared too. But everyone has fears… I'm scared of losing you, but I'm also scared of leaving you and the colony unprotected. If I don't do my job, then other innocent people could lose their lives."

"I know, Mark… I do. But I'm never going to stop worrying about you. Its become like, a second nature to me" At this she saw him flash a small smile. " I love you, and that's what scares me. But I can't help it, everyone has fears"

Mark chuckled at his words being repeated, grabbing her hand, and kissing it softy.

"You have nothing to be scared of. As long as I'm here, nothing will ever happen to you. I promised you that on our first date remember? Nothing's changed. I'll be here to protect you"

"Always?" She smiled lightly, her heart beating fast, anticipating his answer.

"Always and forever, Maddy. Always and forever"

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, so a bit fluffy towards the end, but what MarkMaddy moment isn't? **

**Like always, drop a review :)**

**.xoxo**


	7. Chapter 7 Breeding Grounds

**Disclaimer: I do not own Terra Nova or its characters...**

**Hope you like this chapter! There's actually more Mark than Maddy in this one, so idk if that's a good or bad thing :P**

**Enjoy!**

**.xoxo**

* * *

><p>Hours later, the darkness enveloped them as they arrived at the breeding grounds. Maddy's heart beat rapidly, loud in her ears as she listened for any sign of nearby carno. She felt Mark secure the rover, and walk around to her, his gun aimed at the wilderness that surrounded them. Maddy was a little nervous to say the least, but she had expected to get here by nighttime and the fact that Mark seemed poised to shoot at whatever came their way lessened her nerves.<p>

"Be ready. Anything could be hiding in the dark." Taylor commanded his men, nodding at Dunham when he approached him.

"Infrareds show that the ground is clear. Seems we've beaten the carno's here." Dunham informed him, eying the jungle warily.

The breeding grounds looked exactly like how Maddy had pictured them. It was a large, flat clearing, maybe a four hundred feet wide and six hundred feet long, with large trees and brush around the border. Maddy looked at the large hollows on the ground, long since dried and everything that they held long since gone and grown. She knelt down to examine one of the old nests, marveling at the craftsmanship. These nests resembled large bird nests, except on the ground, but the overlying concept was the same. There was so much to learn about these creatures that for one moment, she almost forgot that they weren't small gentle birds, but huge, carnivorous dinosaurs. Maddy stood up slowly, her guard coming up and her senses on point.

"Everything is going as planned. The Carnotaurs are maybe eight or nine clicks away, which gives us only about an hour to set up camp safely." Malcolm glanced up at the trees, and nodded at them " Just like I thought, the trees over here" he signaled to some large banyans towards the center of the breeding ground "would make an excellent observation point and the trees are large and sturdy enough to keep us safe in case anything goes wrong"

"Which it won't" Taylor snapped " because this has all been carefully planned right?"

"Of course, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared just in case" Malcolm motioned for a couple of Taylor's men to follow him, and she noticed them carrying large planks of wood and equipment.

"What are they going to do?" Maddy whispered to Mark, her hand holding on to his bicep.

He flashed her a small smile before replying.

"We're going to camp out sixer style."

Maddy cocked her head to the side, and then went to her mother.

"Mom, are we going to be done in time?"

Elizabeth Shannon looked up from her position on the ground, where she was taking inventory of the medical supplies they had brought along.

"Yes, sweetheat, they're just building simple platforms on the trees. There's nothing to be worried about"

She felt someone walking up to her from behind, and turned around, her eyes landing on Mark, who was holding two fire lanterns.

"For you two" He handed her the heavy lanterns, smiling a little when he saw Maddy's surprise at their weight.

"The fire will keep away any unwanted species" he then proceeded to show both Maddy and her mom what to do in case of a dino emergency.

"Just open the latch here" his fingers grazed a small brass latch " and it will open. Then just tilt it towards the floor so that some of the flames leave with the running oil and try to get the ground in front on you on fire. Just extremely careful about dripping it on yourself. You don't want to catch on fire" his eyes glanced meaningfully at Maddy.

"I get it Mark, I'll be the most careful scientist here" she held the lantern away from her dramatically, and Mark laughed a bit.

"Interns" he muttered under his breath teasingly, and walked away from an amused doctor and his annoyed girlfriend, or fiancé-to be, as he reffered to her in his mind. He would never utter that aloud, unless he wanted to be taunted mercilessly by his fellow soldiers.

"Reynolds, Reilly, come over here for a sec" Commander Taylor ordered, and Mark walked towards him, accompanied by Reilly, both of their expressions a little confused at being wanted by their CO.

"Reynolds, Reilly, as you both know, I am without a lieutenant" Taylor's voice deepened slightly, his hand absentmindedly going to his tags " and I have dragged out the task of finding a new one for a long time. Its been too long, and my security team needs someone to be there when I cannot, or someday, will not."

He circled them, his voice becoming graver with each word " Both of you are good soldiers, very good. But that is not all that it takes to be second-in-command. To be a lieutenant, one must have discipline, smarts, survival skills, and devotion towards what they serve for. Reynolds, Reilly, both of you have these traits, which makes this difficult task even harder for me."Taylor glanced at his soldiers, both staring at him expectantly, fear and anticipation easily seen behind their postures.

"With that being said, I am still deliberating on which of the two of you I would rather have at my side. The answer of course is impossible. As much as I appreciate both of you, neither of you could ever replace Lt. Washington. But I do have to make a decision sometime. I'm just letting you know that I will be watching the two of you _very carefully_." At this, Taylor dismissed them with a heavy heart at the remembrance of losing Alicia.

Mark and Reilly looked at each other, and exchanged a look between them that wasn't competitive as others would expect, instead it was a sad glance. Neither of them ever had desired to replace Wash. The thought was bittersweet and unbearable. To think that one of them would be second-in-command because of their late lieutenant's death scared them. Both Reilly and Reynolds shook their heads in disbelief. Never in a million years would they have thought that they could hold thee position of the woman who had taught them everything they knew.

* * *

><p>They did finish building the platforms in time, and later that night Maddy lay in her sleeping bag on one of them. She had almost drifted of to sleep, when she was startled by the rumble atop the trees, including the one she slept on with the rest of the female volunteers and her mother.<p>

Maddy sat up, and picked up the fire lantern that lay next to her, and rose it up in front of her so that she could see the breeding grounds.

She saw nothing, and disappointed, lay back down.

But then she heard them.

Their call was as distinctive as a population police alarm, something to fear, something that raised the hair on her arms, something dangerous, and at the same time, something that was considered _normal _in her surroundings.

For once, _they_ weren't the intruders. _She_ was.

* * *

><p><strong>How was it? Hopefully it was good, portraying Taylor was actually a lot harder than I thought...<strong>

**anyways, drop a review on your way out :)**

**.xoxo**


	8. Chapter 8 That Nighttime Melody

**Disclaimer: I do not own Terra Nova.. yet ;)**

**Don't you hate when you can't go to sleep? lol ;3**

**.xoxo**

* * *

><p>Maddy couldn't sleep. The commotion of the carnos below her made her skin crawl, and any chance of Maddy falling asleep was gone with the first grunting mate call. It sounded a bit like the slasher grunt, the one they made when they were calling for backup, except louder, and deeper- like a big, angry, croaking frog. She tossed and turned in her sleeping bag, the hard wood platform proving to be exceptionally uncomfortable. Go figure.<p>

She heard the soft breathing of her mother, who lay besides her, and wondered how her mother could sleep. Elizabeth Shannon was curled in her sleeping bag, with only the top of her head peeking out. Maddy tried everything from counting sheep to turning on her trusty plex and reading. Nothing could make her fall asleep and forget the dinosaurs below her. You'd think a carno and his mate would travel together, but apparently not. They ditch their mates along the way, to sort of secure a position in the breeding grounds, and the pregnant female is then faced with the challenge of distinguishing her male's call above all the other ones. Hence the croaking frog cacophony underneath her.

Earlier that night, when the carno's started appearing, she along with the other scientists observed their manner, jotted down notes, filmed their behavior and recorded their sounds. Malcolm was beaming with excitement, every once in while turning to Commander Taylor, who stood rigidly apart from the scientists, and would give him a smug smirk as if to remind Taylor that though he was the leader of the colony, he was by no means the internal brain. To Malcolm, anything that required smarts, was above and beyond Taylor's group of "rowdy, burly primal soldiers". At this statement, she had given Malcolm a livid look, to remind him that both her father and her boyfriend served Taylor, and that he should keep his mouth shut. That man really had an art of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. One day, if it hadn't already, it would get him in deep trouble.

Every thirty minutes or so, she could hear a different call among the males. It was of a higher pitch, and this one resembled more of a bark than a croak, and with everyone of those calls, she relaxed a bit, because it meant that one of those croaking males would shut the _hell _up.

She glanced at her plex, and nearly shouted out miserably when she saw that it was still only 3:34.… Everyone was supposed get up at seven o'clock sharp, which meant that she still had over a little under four hours to endure.

_I wonder if Mark is sleeping…_

At this thought she mentally slapped herself. She was not going to cross into the mens sleeping "quarters". Even if he was awake, there was no way she could stay there. What would happen if one of the guys woke up? Or worse, what if none of the guys over there could sleep? She would be mortified if she walked in and every single one of the guys stared at her. _Malcolm _and _Taylor _were on that side. She knew Malcolm would have no problem in informing her mother of her nightly excursion.

But Maddy also knew that if stayed in her sleeping bag she would go insane.

So she quietly got up, and grabbed both her plex and the heavy fire lantern that was slowly dimming, and tip toed out of the women's "quarters" and pushed aside the makeshift frond curtain that separated the first banyan from the second, and walked on the plank bridge that was built to connect the two trees. She thought bitterly to herself that she would love to see Malcolm make do without the handy work of Taylor's "rowdy, burly primal soldiers". Maddy sat at the middle platform, the one that sat on the largest banyan, and also the one that served as the observation center and communal area. Malcolm had to give credit to Taylor and his men for the amount of organization that went into the building of their camp site.

She layed down on her stomach, crossing her legs up in the air, and turned on her plex. She was glad that she could get away from the other women, who's breathing and light snoring taunted her of the fact that they could sleep and _she _couldn't. She felt like a spoiled child, but Maddy had always been a light sleeper, and she knew she shouldn't take it so hard on her herself. She was only human after all.

* * *

><p>On the last banyan platform, Mark lay on his back, completely and wide awake. The snores of Malcolm droned on, but they were nothing compared to the throaty sounds that emitted from the male carnos down below. Their short bellows filled the night air and Mark tossed uncomfortably in his sleeping bag, his arms banging on the wooden floor.<p>

"Go to sleep, Reynolds" Dunham groaned in his sleep, obviously annoyed at his friend's constant tossing and turning, and at being kept awake by the male carnos seeking out their mates. Mark wished that the females would just show up already so that they would shut up, but according to Malcolm that wouldn't happen until late morning, after all the males had found their females, who apparently were also pregnant. This was just stage 1 of mating season.

"I'm going to go for fresh air" Mark whispered to Dunham, stepping out of his sleeping bag and grabbing his lantern, which soon needed to be re-lit. He would take care of that in the communal area. So with that he pushed the fern curtain aside and crossed to the middle tree, surprised when he saw a woman's figure outlined only by her dimming lantern ( which was almost gone by now) and the soft glow of her plex.

"Maddy?" He whispered, just loud enough to startle her.

She jumped a little, her head whipping around quickly, her eyes resembling that of a doe.

"Relax, its just me" He knelt down and put a hand at the small of her back, and she smiled at him, her whole face lighting up.

"I was hoping you'd show up"

"Couldn't sleep?" he asked, switching his postion so that he was laying next her on his side.

"How could I? This isn't exactly Tchaikovsky's nutcracker suite" she snorted, her head shaking at the calls down at the breeding ground.

He shrugged, and gestured to her plex.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh.. Uh . Nothing.. Just umm.. Nothing" she started exiting out of whatever she was on, and Mark nudged her hand away, taking her plex in his hand.

"Mark! Give it back" she whispered loudly.

He laughed softly and held it just out of her reach.

"Mark!" Maddy twisted around to him, pouncing on his chest, earning a deep snicker from him.

"Wait hold on, your journal's getting good." He joked, his eyes rapidly reading the few paragraph she had written.

Maddy sighed exasperatedly, and collapsed on his chest, her head tucked in underneath his head.

"Aww you're too sweet" he teased, kissing the top of her head.

He then proceeded to read aloud the last sentence she had written before he had surprised her.

"I was that female carno, shouting in the night looking for her beloved, not knowing if she would ever find him… And then came Mark."

She groaned into his neck, embarrassed that he saw it and mortified that he would tease her mercilessly.

"Shut up Mark" She rolled back onto the ground, snatching her plex, her face red.

"I thought it was nice" he said turning to her.

She scoffed.

"No really I did.. I just think you forgot something" he said softly.

"What?"

"How long the male carno was waiting for _her_"

* * *

><p><strong>Don't worry in the next chapter its still dark, and they're still in the tree *shakes head* If I had my way I would build Mark and Maddy a tree house lol, seeing they're big fans of hiding out in trees. lol jk <strong>

**Actually maybe I should build them a tree house... *thinking***

**anyways hope you liked it! Drop a review! :)**

**.xoxo**


	9. Chapter 9 Our History with trees

**Disclaimer: I do not own Terra nova or the characters in it. I do however own my mind that came up with all these little chapters :)**

**Here's the latest chapter! Hope you enjoy!**

**.xoxo**

* * *

><p>"I'm bored Mark" Maddy yawned, glancing at her plex. It was 4:12, and she and Mark had spent the last forty-five minutes just talking, and kidding around, but they had grown tired and now they sat in silence.<p>

Mark was relighting the lanterns, opening the latch and throwing a lit match inside. The oil caught fire and the tree was bathed instantly in an orange glow. He glanced at Maddy, the flames of the lanterns dancing in her eyes, and he couldn't resist himself. He leaned over to her and gave a her a sweet kiss.

"What was that for?" She scrounged her eyebrows in confusion.

"For being beautiful" He whispered, his eyes locking with hers.

She laughed, pushing him away from her.

"You're so corny" she smiled.

"And you're hard to please" He nudged her, his eyes glinting with playfulness.

"I don't know. I'd say you have been doing a pretty good job at it so far" she wiggled her left hand in front of her, enjoying the way the emerald shined in the fire's light.

"You just won't stop showing that off, won't you?" He teased, taking her hand in his.

Maddy scoffed.

"Umm, no. How many girls my age get expensive promise rings? Almost none, thank you very much""Well it seems to me you're showing off the wrong thing. Maybe you should show off the _guy _who gave you the ring." He put his arm around her, smiling when she unwrapped his arm.

"Now, don't get fresh with me Mr. Reynolds, or I might just have to tell my father" she kidded, batting her eyelashes at him.

"Now that's really evil of you" he tapped her nose, and she giggled.

"Are you scared of my father?" she smirked evilly, leaning into him, her lips a breath away from his.

"Terrified." He mumbled, his eyes on her lips.

"Good. Then that should keep you in your place" She started to lean away, but stoppd when he grabbed her arm.

"But your father's not here" he murmured into her ear, and with that he claimed her lips. He grazed her lips sweetly at first, but then when the feel of her in his arms became too much, and the scent and taste of her overwhelmed him, he pulled her closer and deepened the kiss. He forced her mouth to open slightly, her teeth nipping at his bottom lip. She sighed against his lips, intoxicating herself with his taste. He placed his hand on the nape of her neck, and she shifted so that she was seated on his lap. She reveled in his touch, wrapping her arms around his neck, fingers dinging into his hair. Mark trailed his lips down her jaw into her collarbone, and Maddy arched her back, murmuring his name into his ear.

"Mark… we should.." she struggled to catch her breath "we should… "

Mark slowed his kisses and met her eyes with his own.

"Stop" he finished, his lips swollen and his eyes still burning.

"Yeah.. That" she moved to sit on the floor and shook her head to clear of its thoughts before exhaling a quick burst of air.

Suddenly, Mark began laughing softly, and Maddy could not help herself, she joined in. They laughed quietly, their eyes never losing one another and when their snickers died down, Maddy leaned into his chest, and Mark wrapped his arms around her, kissing her hair.

"There's just something about trees" Maddy whispered, and she felt Mark's chest contract in laughter.

"I guess there is" he twisted Maddy around and gave her another searing kiss.

"Up for a replay?" he asked mischievously.

Maddy smiled inwardly and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Let's go soldier"

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you liked it! Drop a review on your way out :P<br>**

**.xoxo**


	10. Chapter 10 She's mine

**Disclaimer- I do not own Terra Nova, or its characters... That mskes me sad everytime I write it lol :'|**

**Okay here's the latest update! I have a busy week ahead of me but I will try to update a new chapter every day or every other day :)**

**Enjoy!**

**.xoxo**

**PS. This one is mostly in Mark's POV so.. :3**

* * *

><p>Elizabeth Shannon woke up at seven in the morning, as was scheduled, and when she turned around to face her daughter, she saw her sleeping soundly in her sleeping bag, a wave of dark hair covering her face as she lay face-down. She smiled at Maddy, her little sixteen ( almost seventeen, her little girl was growing up) year old. Maddy's soft breathing seemed to resonate in the tree to her mother. Even after all these years, she couldn't believe she had gained such an amazing daughter. Not to say that her son Josh was any less amazing, he was just so in a different way. And for little Zoe, her mother was sure she would be just as amazing as her older siblings. Maddy was a different Middle child now, ever since they came here to Terra Nova. Elizabeth Shannon had to admit that back in 2149, she was the epitome of a stereotypical middle child - Quiet, reserved, and not very acknowledged after they had Zoe. Her mother thinks back regretfully at the time period where basically all she spoke to her daughter was about remembering to pick up Zoe after daycare, to remember to feed Zoe, to make sure that Zoe was bathed and in bed by eight. That was a very hard time for her family- the month's following after Jim's arrest.<p>

But Elizabeth didn't like to think back to those times, and she was just glad that things had changed since they arrived here in Terra Nova. She had a pretty good indication that all those changes within Maddy and within her family had _a lot _to do with Mark. She saw how much Maddy liked him, and if she dared to say, _loved _him, and in turn, it made her love him. Jim was another story though.

"Maddy, wake up" Her mother shook her lightly, brushing her hair away from her daughter's face.

Maddy groaned, having gone to sleep only about a hour before, and she rolled over to face her mother.

"Do I have to?" She said groggily, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Yes" her mother stated firmly, but with a small grin on her face.

Maddy sighed dramatically and got out of her sleeping bag, trudging towards her duffel bag. She excused herself and went behind the he small space that had been curtained and deemed a makeshift washroom.

She changed clothes and freshened up with the bails of water that had been filled with the water from the water bottles they had brought along for this reason. Had it been strictly a military mission, the small luxuries would have been non existent.

Minutes later, she emerged from the "washroom" and proceeded towards the communal/observation area. She was handed a plate of fruit by her mother, and Maddy thanked her before almost chowing down on them.

As she looked around, she couldn't spot Mark, but she figured he was with Taylor, so she let it go.

* * *

><p>Mark hadn't slept. Not even a little. It was a little before six in the morning when the carno's noises died down, and he and Maddy went their separate ways to catch some sleep. Little did he know, that the morning call for soldiers <em>was <em>six, and by the time he was in his sleeping bag, and about to shut his eyes to catch some z's, he was shaken awake by no other than commander Taylor himself.

When he looked at Taylor with sleep deprived eyes, his CO had just left, and Mark forced himself out of his sleeping bag, and went to change into his protective armor.

Well, at least the night with Maddy was worth it.

"Rough night?" Kent, the newest recruit slugged his arm, giving him a suggestive smirk.

Mark didn't like Kent, and that's putting it mildly. He absolutely hated the guy's guts, which was a new feeling for Mark. He normally got along with all the other soldiers, they all had the same goal. To protect the colony and their loved ones inside. But Kent… Kent was selfish, and he didn't give a damn about the colony. The only thing he cared about was himself, and you could see in his eyes that this was a guy that would walk over others to get what he wanted.

Manipulative…

Plus, the way he talked about women repulsed him. He could tease and joke around with Maddy, but he would never dare to say the things Kent said on a daily basis to any woman, including Maddy. He was brought up to respect them, and to treat them well, and being under the new regulations of courtship in the colony only strengthened his views on women. But Kent, he really didn't have any respect for women. When he's at Boylan's, the guy curses like a sailor and demeans girls that happen to be working or just hanging around as if it was all a game. The things he says to them just make Mark bristle in anger.

Like now.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Kent" Mark tried to walk swiftly around him, but Kent blocked his way to the connecting bridge.

"Oh sure you don't. Just remember that next time, you should call me up. Maybe we can make an arrangement to share your _hot little piece of ass_" Kent smirked at Mark, who was losing his composure.

"Please move Kent" he said with as much restraint as possible.

"Oh that's what she's going to say. Except with your name when I come into the picture" "Kent" Mark warned, his composure almost totally gone.

"Admit it _Corporal Reynolds, _the only reason you're dating that nerd chick is because she's as easy as-"

Mark lost it. He was seeing red when his fist connected to Kent's jaw, knocking him out and making him fall on the wooden platform with a loud thud. Kent's lip split open, and before he could defend himself, Mark knelt and grabbed him by his shirtfront, shaking him a bit.

"You will _never _talk like that about Maddy" he snarled " Don't you think just for a minute that she's in any way ever going to be yours. She's _mine_. She's _mine and I don't share" _He let go of his shirt and Kent fell back hitting his head on the wood flooring.

Mark stood up and looked menacingly at him.

"Next time I hear you talk like that about, you're going to have bigger problems than just a busted lip" Mark gave him one last cold look, and turned around to walk on the platform bridge.

He was surprised to come face to face with Commander Taylor who was appraising him with a proud look in his eyes.

"Good job soldier" he patted Mark, who nodded, still shaking after his episode of blind rage.

As he crossed into the communal area, he glanced wistfully at the women's platform, covered by the frond curtain and allowed a small smile to seep through his stern face.

He had done his duty today, because protecting Maddy emotionally was just as important as physically.

* * *

><p><strong>So how'd you like Angry Mark? ;)<strong>

**Drop a review and let me know! :P**

**.xoxo**


	11. Chapter 11 Worries

**Disclaimer- I do not own Terra Nova or its characters.**

**This is a short one, but I think its a plot changer.. He he :)**

**Enjoy!**

**.xoxo  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Maddy hadn't seen Mark all day. She had no idea where he went after he woke up. Maddy had found out later in the day that soldiers had to be up at six, and that explained why she hadn't seen him since they shared their last goodnight kiss in the early hours of morning.<p>

After breakfast, Maddy and the rest of the science team observed the carnos down below begin to build their nests, but they kept on lifting their heads from the task, as if sensing us above the banyans, but we were so high up that, according to Malcolm, our scents mixed in with the smells of the jungle, camouflaging the smell that would turn a calm carno into a man-eating machine. They definitely didn't want that.

It was almost dusk when Maddy really began to worry. There were only a handful of soldiers on the platforms with them, and the rest of Taylor's team hadn't come back since their outing this morning. She didn't think they would be gone until dark, and her worry skyrocketed when the sun went down, and they still were not back.

"Mom" Maddy approached her mother, who was looking out at the carnos, whose yesterday's loud croaking had been replaced by soft wines and bellows, which were quite calming actually.

"I know sweetheart" Elizabeth Shannon took one look at her daughter and smiled softly, pulling her into an embrace.

She knew exactly how her daughter felt. Sure, Maddy had kept herself busy the entire the day with the observations and such, but after all that is good and done, there is nothing to do but worry._ She _herself had spent countless nights awake while Jim paraded around with Taylor, being the hero he was. But sometimes, the hero doesn't realize that we need them here, that they need to be taken care of sometimes. Sure, superman and batman didn't need to be taken care of, but real life heroes, like Mark and Jim, were just as breakable as any one of us.

They stared at the carnos in the breeding grounds in silence, their arms around each other. No words were needed, no words would help. Worry was not something that went away. It was something that you had see through until the end, whether the outcome be relief, or grief.

* * *

><p>Mark rode with Taylor in his rover, trying to outrun the carno that had picked up their scent. The others had turned back around for Terra Nova, under the strict command of their Commanding Officer. Mark's brow was lined with sweat, his face covered in grit. It had been a long day.<p>

"Try to go faster, Commander" Mark's voice was edgy, a bit of fear found in his voice.

"I'm going as fast as I can" Commander N. Taylor said against his gritted teeth, the wound on his shoulder bleeding excessively.

The male carno ran at their heels, and Mark stuck his blast gun out of the firing ring in the rover and shot at it, its angry roars deafening him.

The blasts managed to push the carno back a bit, but the huge beast was nowhere near done for. As far as he was concerned, Mark and Taylor were invading his territory, and the carno sought to eliminate its threats.

It had been a long day indeed, Mark thought bitterly as his leg burned, the gash on his leg not bleeding thanks to the fashioned tourniquet Dunham had fashioned earlier out of Mark's undershirt. Though the bleeding had stopped, the pain hadn't ceased.

They needed to lose the carno soon, their wounds wouldn't take much more stress. Commander Taylor was really bleeding badly.

"I should've known any mission planned by Malcolm would fail" Taylor hissed, his eyes narrowing in both pain and anger.

* * *

><p><strong>It all can't be rainbows and butterflies and treehouses now can it?<strong>

**Drop a review! They are greatly appreciated :)**

**.xoxo**


	12. Chapter 12 Blood and Tears

**Disclaimer- I still don't own Terra Nova**

**Okay sorry for the late updates, school has been taking up a lot of my time, but I'm trying to update at least every other day.**

**Anyways, here's the answer to the cliff hanger. Enjoy, though this one's quite sad...**

**.xoxo**

* * *

><p>Mark's strength was beginning to really weaken, it took everything he had to just try to aim at the huge carnivorous dino was on their trail. They had barely escaped his last attack, the carno's jaws clamping around the back of the rover, lifting it slightly. Taylor had swore, stepping on the pedal of the rover furiously while he shot at the dinosaur. With a outraged cry, the carno let the rover go, but not before attempting to eat Mark, successfully taking a small bite out of his shooting arm. He screamed in pain, never have been the recipient of a dino's jaws. He managed to relocate back inside the rover as Taylor drove away, carno still at their heels. It was at that moment that Mark had a fleeting thought that caused grief to wash over him.<p>

_He might never come back to Maddy_…

He was glad that he never promised he would always come back to her, it was a promise that would have been made in vain. Both knew that his homecoming would never be up to him. He had the will to survive, but sometimes will wasn't enough.

They were riding towards the east, when Taylor suddenly turned the rover towards the north, and considering how far east they were, there was only one thing in their north path.

The coast.

"Taylor, what are you doing?" Mark looked at his commanding officer as if he was crazy.

The coast? He was driving them towards a dead end.

"I know what I'm doing Reynolds" he snapped, his eyes cold.

Mark fell silent, and shot back at the carno, his arm giving out under the amount of pain it caused, and the blast gun slipping out and falling on the ground, quickly crushed by the carno's claw.

Mark swore loudly, both at the amount of blood that oozed out of his arm, and the blast gun that was gone.

Taylor commented nothing, and if he was scared that they had no weapons anymore -Taylor's gun having run out of ammo a long time ago- he didn't show it.

When the coast became visible, Taylor turned to Mark, his expression serious.

"Won't be long now"

Realization dawned on Mark, knowing exactly what Taylor was going to do.

"We'll never make it" Mark said.

Taylor nodded, and Mark glanced at his dog tags, his thoughts drifting to Maddy.

Taylor planned to throw the rover overboard, into the churning black sea. He knew that was the only way to keep the carno from killing them, or from finding the rest of the soldiers and scientists in the trees. The others would come back for them, after getting more soldiers and rovers for an emergency rescue. Mark knew he would probably die, with the wounds on his leg and arm, he wouldn't be able to swim fast enough. Taylor was exhausted, and the wound on his shoulder looked especially inflamed. They had both lost a lot of blood. They would be lucky if the drowned before one of the things in the ocean got to them first. He had heard stories, and they weren't pretty.

"We'll never make it" Mark repeated, his voice accepting.

Taylor nodded again, and turned to Mark right before the rover fell.

"You would have made an excellent lieutenant."

The rover was lurched off the cliff, both Mark and Taylor letting their bodies lift up out of their seats, being tossed inside the rover like rag dolls.

Mark fingered his dog tags, the button bringing to life his favorite picture of Maddy, one he took of her while she was unaware that one day on the flower field, wanting to see her face one last time.

With a force similar to hitting a wall, the rover was sucked into the ocean, the salty water enveloping Mark and Taylor.

Mark closed his eyes, the salt stinging his wounds, and let his body sink lower into the rover seat, his oxygen escaping him slowly.

* * *

><p>Maddy screamed, having woken up in cold sweat. She didn't stop screaming, her body shaking with hysterics, her mother quickly rising from her own sleeping bag cradling her daughter, whose small frame was being racked with sobs, awaking everyone in their wing of the tree as well as the few remaining soldiers and men in the opposite platform.<p>

Elizabeth tried to stop her daughter in her panic attack, but Maddy just screamed and sobbed, yelling Mark's name at the top of her lungs, her tears overflowing her face, her breathing uneven.

"Mark is fine" Elizabeth tried to soothe her, before Maddy lashed out at her, jumping out of her mother's arms and staring at her, her eyes wild and crazed.

"DON'T LIE TO ME!" She stood her body still heaving from all the sobs, and collapsed on the floor, remembering her nightmare, cradling her knees and rocking herself.

She remembered the sound of the splash, the sound of Mark's voice saying her name for the last time, she saw him fall through water.

"He's gone…" She whispered, sobbing to herself, and rocking back and forth, her eyes blind with tears and her heart numb with grief.

* * *

><p><strong>This one made me sad to write, and I'm not sure where I'm taking this but... I guess we'll see. I'm not sure if Mark will die or not... Idk.. I'm feeling depressed after just losing my favorite nyx lipstick :'( but I'm sure I'll find it soon lol... As for Mark, like I said, we'll see... I kinda like messing with your emotions *evil laugh* Maybe he'll live, maybe he won't...<strong>

**Anyways until the next update :3**

**.xoxo**


	13. Chapter 13 Blur

**Disclaimer- I still don't own Terra Nova..**

**Sorry for the lack of updates recently, I'm really busy with school, but I'm trying my hardest to update as quickly as possible. :S**

**Anyways, here is chapter thirteen :) Enjoy!**

**.xoxo**

* * *

><p>She watched them fall, the rover crashing into the black waves, causing the water to envelop them, cuddle them, in its clawing embrace. She watched them do nothing, she didn't see them resurface on their own. She heard the angry howling of the beast at the edge of the cliff, its prey had just been within its grasp before they plummeted into the sea. She shook her head at the men, doing all they thought they could do to protect the colony. They should've known better.<p>

Without a second thought, she jumped into the death cold water, ignoring the pinpricks it imprinted on her skin.

_They better still be alive._

She swam, forcing her eyes open in the salty water, stinging her eyes. She could just make out a rover at the bottom of the shallow waters (or shallower than the deep ocean that lay ahead of them) by the waning moonlight, her senses on alert for any prehistoric shark or predator of the ocean hungry for a late night snack. She swam faster when she noticed the velocity of the air bubbles escaping the rover.

Good, she still had time.

The woman snuck inside the rover, seeing two nearly drowned men, and decided that her best chance to rescue both was to take them to the surface at the same time. With the help of the buoyancy of their military uniforms, she calculated that it could be done. Or at least she thought so, her mind wasn't the same as before.

She grabbed Mark first, who seemed the most injured, and then hoisted Commander Taylor onto the next shoulder. The woman kicked with all her might, and in no time, she had resurfaced and brought both men to her cave dwelling. Now all she had to do was wait for them to wake up.

* * *

><p>Mark Reynolds, woke up with a pounding headache, the fire in front of him dancing in ways that told him his mind was playing tricks on him. His leg hurt like hell, but he couldn't even begin to fathom the pain that throbbed in his arm. All that was in his line of vision, besides the fire, was a gray wall.<p>

Wall?

Was he dead?

Was this what it felt like to die?

All that ran through his brain were nonsensical things, and he groaned.

Out of the corner of his eye, a figure moved.

Soldier mode kicked in, and he struggled to move, only to find himself immobile. He tried to reach for the knife in his boot, but his arm burned, and he could only move one leg, and that leg happened to not be the one with the knife.

He cussed, still disoriented.

Mark suddenly felt the rough hands of someone on his face, the face in question still a blur, but he could tell it was a woman.

"Reynolds, can you hear me?" The voice was familiar, and caused Mark to smile.

"I really died…" He sighed, glad that the worst was over. But if he was dead, why the hell was the pain still in his body?

"You're alive, Reynolds" The voice said.

Mark squinted, and tried to focus his sight on the woman. He gasped when familiar black hair and the worn face of the woman he most respected in the world (second to Maddy) appeared before him_._

_"Wash?"_

* * *

><p><strong>I had to bring her back somehow ;) We all will miss her so much in season 2. Anyways explanations for her sudden reappearance will be in chapter 14 :)<strong>

**Drop a review :P**

**.xoxo**


	14. Chapter 14 Always has been

**Disclaimer- I do own Terra Nova**

**This one took a little while, but my midterms are coming up and I've been studying like crazy. Sorry it took so long...but Enjoy!**

**.xoxo**

* * *

><p>"Wash?" Mark repeated, the haze in his mind leaving. He could see the "gray wall" was just rock, lit by a small bonfire only meters away from him. He could see clearly now that the woman bent over him was indeed the late Lieutenant Washington, and he wondered briefly if he had lost his mind on the way down from the cliff before he shook his head and reached up to poke the woman in the cheek.<p>

The woman recoiled with a huff and slapped his hand away.

"Yes, Reynolds, its me. Now keep your hands to yourself" Alicia gave him a soft smile, and he saw her eyes wandering to someone who lay to the other side of the bonfire.

"Why are you alive?" Mark asked, wonder creeping into his tone.

Alicia smiled again, looked down, and her face turned hard.

"Lucas is a lot smarter than he seems, if that's possible." She took a breath, and then continued " He knew.. He knew how much I loved his father, and how much he loved me. I don't know how he did, but he knew. When he first overtook the colony he had the chance to kill me, point blank. But he.. He didn't. I knew then that he had plans for me, and that they were going to be about manipulating Taylor more than anything. When I helped the Shannons escape, I thought he would kill me in front of his father, I mean Lucas must've known he would be watching, helpless. He knew that it would destroy him. The plan was never to really kill me, you can't kill someone with a blast gun at the lowest setting. It paralyzes someone yes, and it hurts, but you don't die. I found out later he was planning to use me as leverage to regain the colony, as well as an information source to overtake Nova land" At this, Wash shook her head and laughed bitterly.

"Terra Nova" she corrected herself, and when she caught Mark's weird look she quickly explained " The shot may have no killed me, but it did a lot of brain damage and memory loss."

She shook her head, and continued with her story " Anyways, Lucas, he didn't know, that the shot would cause as much damage as it did. He was too close, but its my fault. I provoked him by telling him about his father's hands…Eyes!" She exhaled. "Memories are hazy, and I can't remember details very well. Which is why I'm no good to Lucas anymore. I can't even remember the way back to the colony, much less all the self-defense tactics that made me a good soldier. Once he was at the Badlands, he let me go. No weapons, no food. Just. Bye! He left the Phoenix Group soon after and I believe he's been planning to get inside the colony ever since. "

"Wash, I can show you the way back" Mark spoke up, and Alicia laughed at him.

"You haven't seen yourself, have you?"

Mark looked down and for the first time, he noticed the splint on his leg and huge gauze made out of sea weed on his arm.

"Your leg is broken is two places and your shooting arm is missing a chunk of skin. You're lucky I stitched you up. Details are hazy, but I do remember how to do a good stitch. Thank God Lucas has some humanity left and snatched a first Aid kit from the Phoenix Group for me before he saw me off. He has potential to be a really good man. I hope Skye forgives him" she whispered the last part, and Mark stared at her.

"Skye?" he asked confused.

She waved her hands around and pushed him into the ground.

"Just get some sleep okay? Forget I said anything" She stood up and went around to the other man in the cave.

"Is Taylor okay?" Mark asked, closing his eyes.

"He's coping… But he's a fighter, always have been."She smiled sadly at Commander Taylor, her hand lingering on his cheek.

"Always have been"

* * *

><p><strong>Hope this explains about Wash and that it makes sense...<strong>

**I'll update as soon as I can **

**.xoxo**


	15. Chapter 15 How they Knew

**Disclaimer- I do not own Terra Nova or its characters or Fox**

**Okay I know I kept you waiting for this chapter, but I hope it was worth it. I just finished midterms, (except for one, but that's tomorrow so :P ) and I hope that I will be back to updating every other day soon. **

**Anyways, hope you enjoy :)**

**.xoxo**

* * *

><p>Maddy Shannon stared out at the broad expanse of land before her. She hadn't seen Mark in two days… The rest of the science team was also getting worried, but they were there for a mission, one that Malcolm wouldn't let them abort.<p>

"The chance of a lifetime" he would say.

But Maddy could tell that no one's heart but his own, was in it anymore. The missing soldiers occupied everyone's minds, as well as the strange behavior of the dinosaurs below them. They were getting extremely territorial, and would often look up in their direction, and flare their nostrils before emitting a loud bellow that would make Maddy and the rest of the scientists cup their ears in hopes of muting the ethereal sound. But even more worrisome was the cracking of their communication devices. They kept on getting signals from Terra Nova, but because of their altitude and position of the trees, they always lost contact before either party could get a word in. Everything they heard from Terra Nova came in broken syllables, and figuring out what they were trying to tell us became a puzzle that many of them had quickly abandoned. The only one who devoted her time to figuring out what Terra Nova was trying to tell them was Maddy's own mother, Elizabeth. For the past day and a half, they had been receiving these signals, and Elizabeth, convinced that it was important, slaved away at the communication station trying to decipher what she believed to be "warnings". Malcolm quickly objected, assuring her that they were in no immediate danger and that the missing soldiers were simply securing a perimeter.

"For two days?" She had heard her mother ask wildly.

Maddy didn't know what to make of the situation. She just hoped that Mark was okay, and not lying somewhere in the land in front of her, bleeding out, and close to death, but not dead…yet.

The dreams hadn't stopped.

That's how she knew.

* * *

><p>He awoke to the sound of a man groaning out in pain. His eyes shot open at the recognition of his Commander's voice. He tried to turn his head, but the movement was to sharp, and Mark hissed out in pain.<p>

"Oh no you don't soldier" Wash bolted to his side, straightened his head so it faced up at the cave's glinting roof, and not at the cold, charcoal cave wall.

Alicia Washington took in the cave around her, exhaling sharply when she noticed that the rays of the sun illuminated the inside, showing the tiny trickles of water that ran along the edges of the cave. She looked up, at the mineral covered roof, and despite her worry about the two wounded men, one who was now calling out to her, and one that had quickly fallen asleep, and smiled. The amethyzt, quartz and topaz that lined the rock above them caused breathtaking glints of color to bounce along the cave.

"Alicia?"

Her head turned at Nathaniel's voice. She quickly knelt to his side, and took a scrap of his undershirt, now acting as a rag, and placed it against the wall, the rag absorbing the cool water, and then she placed it on his face, cleaning out the many nicks and bruises that he had on his face.

"Yes?"

"I'm glad its you" He attempted a smile, but it quickly turned into a grimace when she dabbed at a gash along his jaw.

"I know it stings, but it needs to be cleaned out before the infection gets worse. I should've done this last night…" she sighed.

Commander Taylor closed his eyes, knowing that last night she had spent a lot of time stitching up his shoulder and making sure _that _didn't get infected because if it had it could've quickly turned into gangrene, and he liked his arms… he wanted to keep them. Plus, he knew that she had also slaved away stitching up Reynolds, who all things considered, was supposed to be in worse shape than him. But Reynolds had something he had long gotten rid of, his youth. At Reynolds age, he would've shrugged this wound off as quickly as the soldier woke up last night. But even so, the kid had some stamina to be awake seventy-five percent of the time while enduring the pain from his broken leg and his carno bite on his arm. Taylor could barely be awake _forty-five _percent of the time. He shuddered when he felt Wash place some maggots on his shoulder, and turned his head towards her.

"I'll never get use to that, will I?"

Wash smiled, and both of them recalled how many times Wash had stitched him up in the wild, often resulting to primitive measures, like maggots.

"No sir, I believe you won't" She moved the gray hair on his forehead and swiped it back, a look that only he understood passing through her eyes. He knew he was in good hands, and that he would be okay.

She was here with him.

That's how he knew.

* * *

><p><strong>So here it is. This chapter is a lot more WashTaylor oriented, but I just couldn't resist myself :3**

**So anyways, drop a review on your way out :)**

**.xoxo**


	16. Chapter 16 MIA

**Disclaimer- I do not own Terra Nova**

**Okay here's the next chapter. Its not my fave, its more like a transition...**

**Anyways here it is, Enjoy!**

**.xoxo**

* * *

><p>Mark opened his eyes during what he believed to be late afternoon, but since he was inside the cave, he couldn't exactly tell. He blinked, once, twice, feeling his massive migraine throb in his head, and with that he couldn't think. Plus, the cave was awfully cold, and the weaved dry grass blanket wasn't doing much. Mark shivered, and closed his eyes, trying to block out his migraine and fever unsuccessfully.<p>

Wash walked by him, and knelt. She patted his head with a cool cloth, drawing back when she saw his teeth chattering slightly. Hmm, she thought, the fever has been getting worse. That's not good. She needed to find the necessary herbs really soon, because Taylor was starting to show feverish symptoms as well, but she was absolutely frantic at the thought of leaving them alone, even if just for a few hours. There were still things out there that could find them inside the cave, and with their state, it wouldn't even be a fight.

They wouldn't even have a chance.

But if she didn't go and find something to cure their fevers, they might not ever walk away from this cave. Yeah, she had left them alone for like fifteen minutes to gather the very important maggots, but she had rushed here as soon as she gathered enough. However, maggots were one thing, the herbs she needed to make the homemade med, were a lot farther inland than just fifteen minutes. She glanced at the men laying in the cave floor. Mark was wincing, and she couldn't tell if it was from his wounds, or his fever, and Taylor's eyes were screwed shut as he tried to move his shoulder into a more comfortable position.

She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, disbelieving what she was about to do. With one last look at the feverish men, she grabbed her pack and walked out of the cave in search for those herbs.

There was still daylight…

She had time.

* * *

><p>Maddy was sitting down and eating one of the little meal packets when she heard human shouting and carno howling. She immediately shot up and saw a team of about eight rovers, with a row of men in front of them holding an electrical force field that was pushing the dinosaurs back.<p>

"Gather everyone! Emergency move!" Dunham (who was one of the missing soldiers) yelled out from underneath.

Maddy was then suddenly grabbed by the elbow by her mother, who held their duffel bags, and was urged frantically to go down the ladder. She barely had enough time to grab her plex laying beside her before her mother practically pushed her down. Everyone was in a frenzy, and Maddy just looked around, and was momentarily relieved to find out that many of these soldiers were part of the "missing". But she couldn't see Mark, and before she could manage to ask anybody, she was stuffed into a rover with her mother, who's expression was one of panic.

"Mom, what's happening?" Maddy asked, her voice rising with the same panic.

Elizabeth Shannon turned towards her, and with a sad look on her face, she spoke.

"I knew coming out here was a bad idea"

Seconds later they were driving away, and Maddy peered through the rover's slits, seeing the front row of men who had put up the electric force field all climb into rovers, and saw that we were all being pursued by the angered dinosaurs.

"Mom, I'm scared" She clung to her mother, who put her arm around her small frame.

"We're going to be ok"With this Maddy fell silent, and looked towards the soldier driving the rover.

"Umm, excuse me, but is Mark Reynolds on this rescue convoy?" she asked lightly, not wanting to annoy him as he was thoroughly focused on the road ahead.

However when she said this, the soldier winced and turned his head slightly to her before murmuring.

"Corporal Reynolds along with Commander Taylor is MIA"

Maddy's breath hitched.

Missing In Action.

She closed her eyes and let tears fall, all he while twirling her emerald ring on her left hand.

"Please, please keep your promise" she whispered.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, eek.. Hope you liked it, and I promise the next one will be better.<strong>

**Reviews are greatly appreciated :)**

**.xoxo**


	17. Chapter 17 Indignation

**Disclaimer- Do not own Terra Nova or the characters.**

**So so sorry for the really belated update.**

**But here it is so hopefully you enjoy!**

**.xoxo**

* * *

><p>It seemed as if weeks had passed by for the woman. Lieutenant Washington sat in the cave, her legs crossed under her as she watched her former Commanding Officer walk slowly, but steadily, towards her. He sat down, with only a slight trace of a wince on his face. It seemed as if weeks had passed… But in truth it had only been a matter of days. But seeing Taylor up and about, though slowly, caused her so much relief that she couldn't find the words to describe it. Mark was also recuperating… Really slowly, but at least the fever had long since gone away. He still couldn't stand, but he could sit upright with a little help. However, Wash knew that the thought of not knowing what was going on with Maddy Shannon on the mission troubled him. When they first told her the reason that they set out for the mission in the first place, Wash couldn't believe what she was hearing. Had Malcolm lost all common sense? And why in hell had Nathaniel given him permission in the first place? Nothing made sense to her nowadays, and just trying to comprehend everything left her with a throbbing migraine.<p>

She raised a hand to rub at her temples, and immediately, Taylor's hand replaced hers as he brought her to his lap and massaged her head. At least he was feeling better, and she didn't know why she had thought he would have fared worse. Nathaniel was a hard-core soldier, and most of all a survivor. He wouldn't have let a wound on his shoulder end him here, now when he finally found her after all those months mourning her supposed "death".

Wash smiled slightly, enjoying the quiet moment between them, knowing that even if they never left this cave for a reason or another, she would think back to now, to this moment, before something happened.

Maddy Shannon paced around her bedroom, her arms crossed as her mother and father tried to reason with her.

"We don't know he's alive, sweetheart" Her mother tried to stop her, her hand just grazing her shoulder before Maddy abruptly pulled away.

"_I _know, and if nobody is going to help me find him, then I guess I'll just take off by myself" She looked them in the eye, and though she had a determined look on her face, all her parents could see was a little girl, arguing indignantly.

_Their _little girl.

"We said no and that's final Maddy" Her father scolded.

Maddy nodded, furious but not wanting to lash out, knowing it wouldn't make anything better.

Josh watched from the doorway, a mixed expression on his face. For the last two weeks Maddy wasn't… well _Maddy. _She, in his opinion, wasn't acting childish throwing a fit, but she was.. Not herself. She still did homework and all her chores around the house, but she was distant. He knew that Maddy believed that Mark was still alive, and he knew she hoped the Commander was too, considering all the chaos that had ensured after their arrival at Terra Nova when people realized that he was, as they categorized him, MIA. Reilly did her best to maintain order, but people have been on edge since then, which led to many unanticipated problems in the colony. Josh just couldn't disagree with what Maddy wanted to do. He didn't have the heart to tell her that Mark, in all seriousness, could possibly be dead.

"I'm still going" Maddy grabbed a pack, and tried to walk around her parents, who were blocking her way.

"No you're not" Jim Shannon's voice rose.

"Why?" Maddy glared at him, her almond eyes on fire.

"Because I_ forbid_ it" He said simply, his chin jutting out and his arms crossing.

Maddy closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath.

She quickly walked around her parents, and shooting one last look at them before she headed towards the door, she shook her head.

"What would you do if it was mom out there?" Maddy whispered, and then turned on her heel and left, the front door closing softly.

Josh knew what he had to do, and looking at his parent's astonished faces, grabbed the emergency pack he kept for secret OTG rendezvous with Skye.

"I'm going with her" He said almost making to the door before his father spoke.

"I thought you of all people would understand" his dad looked at him.

"I do, and that's why I'm going"

* * *

><p><strong>As always please drop a review so I know what you're thinking :)<strong>

**.xoxo**


	18. Chapter 18 Possibilities

**Disclaimer- Do not own Terra Nova yet... I'm working on it ;)**

**Here's the latest chapter, and I promise some Mark/Maddy scenes are coming up in the next chapter :)**

**Enjoy!**

**.xoxo**

* * *

><p>Maddy and Josh made it through the gates with little problem, security having gone haywire since the Commander's disappearance. Maddy trudged beside Josh, her face blank and unreadable. Josh glanced at her every now and then, waiting for her to say something. When she had found out he was going with her, she had simply looked over her shoulder into his eyes, meeting his determined gaze, and nodded her head before turning her head to face straight ahead into the wilderness outside their gates. Not a word…<p>

They were on foot for the search, both armed with only a blast gun that Maddy had stolen from their father. It was dangerous and stupid, but Maddy was desperate. If nobody would believe her she had to find him herself. Mark could be laying half-dead somewhere in the jungle.

_Could be…_

With every step she took, her resolve to find him became stronger, and she hardly took account of the fact that Josh was walking brusquely besides her. Maddy glanced at him, her eyebrows knit together, betraying for a second the turmoil of emotions inside her.

"Why are you here, Josh?" Maddy asked, her voice interrupting the thick silence that enveloped them.

Josh glanced her way, and shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips.

"You're my sister" Maddy blinked her eyes in surprise at his frank statement.

It was probably the shortest explanation ever emanating from Josh, but out of all of them, it was the most honest.

She smiled softly, and satisfied with his response, didn't ask any more questions.

None were needed.

His support was stimulating, and she needed all she could get if Mark was still alive.

_If..._

* * *

><p>Mark was sitting up in the cave, finally having recovered from the fever that had threatened to kill him off. He was still a little dazed, but at least coherent. He fingered his tags, but of course they didn't turn on. They had been damaged by the water, and it caused an ache in him to know that he couldn't see Maddy's face. He needed to see her. He didn't know if she was safe or if she was hurt. His head pounded with all the possibilities of things that might have happened to her back at the camp.<p>

_Might have…_

Mark Reynolds shook his head, and rubbed his temples. Commander Taylor and Alicia had left a while ago to get some food. Nathaniel Taylor was built like a boulder, recovering just days after. His wounds weren't as deep as his, and they hadn't gotten infected and caused him a fever like his, but still… He was angry at himself for being so weak, so unprepared for the pain. Sure he had a broken leg and his arm was still recovering from his wound, but again… He believed he should have been tougher. If it wasn't for him the Commander and Lieutenant would have been on their way back to the colony a long time ago.

_Would have…_

Mark just needed to see Maddy… It was driving him insane. It never really struck to what magnitude he loved her, but all this time apart had at least one positive outcome. He could never take Maddy for granted, not that he ever really had, but at least he knew that now, taking her fro granted wasn't even a possibility.

But God, he wanted to see her, hear her voice… _kiss her. _

Hold her...

If just for one more second.

* * *

><p><strong>As always, drop a review :) Hope you liked it <strong>

**.xoxo**


	19. Chapter 19 The Scream

**Disclaimer- I still don't own Terra Nova...**

**And I'm alive lol I swear! Sorry for the so so so so late update. **

**However, here it is so...**

**Enjoy!**

**.xoxo**

* * *

><p>Mark Reynolds braced himself against the cave wall, his teeth grinding against each other in pain. He had painfully -but successfully- achieved a standing position on both of his legs. His knees were still bent as he tried to catch his breath and withstand the blinding pain in his leg. He grunted, the cool water of the cave mooring over his back. His wounded arm was extended slightly in front of him, while his other arm held on fast to the cave wall.<p>

"Just… one step…at a…time" his breath was ragged, and he closed his eyes as he stood up to his full height. And leveled his weight on both legs.

Mark's scream of pain echoed through the cave, the wooden splints on either side of his broken leg seeming to move with the throbbing of pain in between them.

But even with the pain, he was still standing, determined to just walk one looked down at his feet, sweat beading down his healthy leg advanced a step, but the broken one refused to tried bending his knee, but the pain was the end, he just ended up dragging his leg behind him, stumbling, and falling back hit the cave wall and he growled with pain.

Attempt number twelve was a dud.

Here's for lucky number thirteen.

* * *

><p>Maddy and Josh were still walking through the woods when they heard the quiet echoes of a scream. Maddy stopped immediately, her ears perked for a direction.<p>

"You heard that too?" Josh quietly asked.

"Shhh! It may come again"

They stood still for a second, and when another scream didn't emerge, they resumed their walking in silence.

"I think the scream came in that direction" Josh pointed to the side of them.

Maddy shook her head.

"That's impossible." "Why?"

"Because that way is the coast. There's no way Mark's there and still alive. You_ know_ what lives in those waters" Maddy shot a scornful look at him.

Josh exhaled sharply and took her arm and pulled her in that direction.

"Josh! STOP IT! He's NOT there!"

Josh didn't let go, and Maddy maneuvered in such a way that snatched her arm out of his grasp.

They stood there, eyeing each other.

"I know what I heard" He finally said.

Maddy's shoulders lowered in resignation, and she headed in his direction.

"You better be right"

Josh smiled and flexed his hand.

"How'd you learn to get away like that?" For once, Maddy's face lighted up for a second, and she flashed him a small familiar smile.

"What kind of soldier would Mark be if he didn't teach his girlfriend a little self-defense?"

* * *

><p>Lieutenant Washington and Commander Taylor ran the remaining way to the cave. The scream they heard was definitely Reynolds's. Wash made it there first, only to find Mark fully standing, looking as if death was right around the corner.<p>

"REYNOLDS! WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" She exclaimed, Taylor running in behind her with a disapproving look.

They made him slowly go back into the floor, sitting him up and Wash fetching him some water.

"If you try to force yourself to get better , you never will" She said kneeling by him.

Taylor look upon his soldier, shaking his head.

"Don't do anything stupid soldier… That's an order"

* * *

><p><strong>Hopefully you all liked it and Id like to tell you that MarkMaddy scenes are very near :P**

**Please drop a review on your way out so I know what you all think :)**

**.xoxo**


	20. Chapter 20 It always would

**I did not forget about this story. I know it seemed that way for a long time. But here, finally, is the final chapter. There will be an epilogue after this, so stay tuned :)**

**Disclaimer- I don't own Terra Nova**

**Enjoy,**

**.xoxo**

* * *

><p>The scream had come in the direction of the coast; of that Maddy and Josh were absolutely positive. However, the question of where exactly in the coast it had come from was still hopelessly unanswered. She walked ahead of a tired Josh, her strides long and anxious. Josh was now struggling to keep up with her, his breathing coming out in small huffs of air.<p>

"Can we take a break?" his voice rang behind her, and she whipped her head to face him.

"We're so close" she murmured softly, and Josh barely comprehended her. What he did understand, on the other hand, was that she wasn't going to rest until she found Mark – mentally and physically.  
>What Josh could not understand though, was that she couldn't. She could not will herself to stop because in a little nagging corner of her mind, doubt was hibernating. It said that she would not find Mark, and that if on the off-chance she accomplished that, he would be dead or near-death. Both were scenarios that she wanted to avoid – especially the former. He meant the world to her – literally. Without him, the transition between 2149 and Terra Nova would have probably taken a bigger toll on her than it had. It was an extremely large time lapse, and without Mark around to remind her that she deserved all the good things life had to offer, she would have been lost. God knows that 2149 was no paradise, and though Terra Nova was in more ways than one, the move would have definitely been scarier had he not been there with her through it all. He was her soldier, her protector, her lover…<p>

Her future fiancé-to-be…

She allowed herself a small smile. If she ever spoke that aloud she was sure someone was going to make fun of her. For a few seconds, she actually distracted herself from the situation at hand, but when the rushing sound of waves breaking filled her head and the particular smell of salt water filled the late afternoon air, Maddy was forced to come to her senses. They were at and end, and the noise that she thought had come from here was probably a mistake. It was her mind playing tricks on her.

She heard soft footsteps trailing behind her, and she didn't have to turn around to know that Josh was giving her a worried look- full of pity, no doubt. She didn't need anyone to feel bad for her, less him. He was one to talk.

"Maddy –" he began.

"Stop." She whispered, unshed tears glistening in her eyes.

They stood like that for a few minutes. Maddy kept her eyes on the waves, seeing how they clashed along the jagged rocks below, swirling and frolicking until being overcome by white froth. Her mind felt like that. It felt as if everyone knew something that she was desperately trying to find out. There were so many abandoned traces of hope, creating a weaving line of despair that seemed to trail her everywhere she went. _It always would_, she thought to herself…

Josh walked over to his younger sister, pulling her close to him in silence. He knew how she felt, and he also knew that things would get better –after a while. After Kara's death he was lost for a bit. He'll admit that having Skye around helped a lot, but Skye was broken too. _Lucas did enough damage, _he thought bitterly. He'll never understand what Skye and him had, if anything, but Skye hasn't been the same since. _She thinks she killed him…_ He wondered if his sister felt the same way about Mark. Did she think she killed him?

And audible gasp pulled Josh away from his musings.

"Josh, do you see that?" Maddy gestured towards the dark waves below.

He squinted, and he could see what appeared to be two wheels of a rover peering out from among the rocks.

"They were here" Maddy let out small laugh, her mouth opening in surprise and slowly spanning out into a smile. "They're alive, I can feel it"

Josh looked down at her, not wanting to break the news to her that a fall like that could kill someone instantly. The odds that both of them survived the tumbling fall into the ocean were slim.

They heard a rustling sound behind them, and both instinctively turned towards the sound. They remained completely still, listening for any signs of danger. _This isn't slasher territory, and there's still daylight outside, _Maddy reasoned. _So what was that?_

Something made her want to speak up. She didn't know what brought on the urge, but before she could assess what she was doing more carefully, she called out.

"Is there anybody there? Mark? Taylor?"

The sound of a tree branch snapping in front of them captured their attention. A figure stepped out of the overgrowth and Maddy nearly broke down in tears.

"Commander Taylor! You're alive!" She ran to him, holding him in a tight embrace as Josh seemed to be frozen in shock.

Taylor winced.

"I'm still a bit sore, sweetheart." He said amused.

"Of course, I'm so, sorry. Where have you been? There were rescue teams looking for you until a couple of days ago. They gave up thinking you were dead! Where's Mark? Is he okay? Please tell me he's-"

"Gosh, you sure know how to ramble." He shook his head. "Mark's fine, Maddy. But he needs to be back at camp as soon as possible. Do you have a communicator on you?"

Maddy took it out of her bag swiftly.

"Contact Terra Nova. Tell them we are at the coast hiding out at the bottom of a cliff. There's a small cave there. Makes sure they send one of the more spacious rovers. We have an extra passenger."

"We do? Who?" Josh spoke up for the first time, having regained his composure.

Taylor smiled.

"An old friend"

Maddy rambled on excitedly on the communicator, and before long, Terra Nova had sent a rescue rover over to them along with her mother as a paramedic.

It was now just a matter of time until they got here.

"I want to see Mark" she told Taylor.

He nodded. They made their way down to the small cave, and all the while nervous jitters sprouted in Maddy's stomach. She was both excited and worried sick about Mark. Yes he was alive, but she didn't know for how long.

When they finally got to the small entrance, two surprises were thrown her way. The first was Wash, healthy as a horse and tending to Mark.  
>"Lieutenant Washington?" Josh asked incredulously.<p>

She smiled.

"The one and only."

"Maddy?" Mark looked up at her, unsure if she was a hallucination or dream, or if she was really there.

She walked to him slowly, and knelt to the ground. With gentle hands, she caressed his face, rough from stubble, but still his face. She ran her fingers along his jaw, and closing her eyes placed her forehead against his.

"I thought I would never see you again." He murmured softly.

She brushed her lips against his softly, realizing how much she had missed his touch.

"I'll always come back to you"

* * *

><p><strong>Well, there you have it. Fluff, angst and fluff :) Please leave a review on your way out. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the story, whether good or bad. :) Remember to stay tuned for the epilogue :D<br>**

**.xoxo**


	21. Chapter 21 Epilogue

**Here is what you've all been waiting for :) The final installment of this long journey *drum roll***

**The Epilogue :)  
>Enjoy!<strong>

**.xoxo**

* * *

><p>Maddy POV<p>

Two years have passed since then.

Commander Taylor married Wash just six months after we got back to Terra Nova that day. They had a beautiful ceremony in the gardens of Terra Nova with the entire colony present. It's still to this day an event that is relived in day-to-day conversations. Though everyone knows Taylor still misses his son terribly, the news of Wash's pregnancy spread through the colony like wildfire. We knew the brand new baby boy could never replace Lucas in Taylor's eyes – no matter how much harm Lucas caused, he still loved him – but since the birth there has been a glint of happiness in his eyes that no one had ever seen.

As for Lucas, he still hasn't been found- by us anyways. About three weeks after Mark, Taylor and Wash's return to Terra Nova Skye went 'missing'. Her room in the house in which she lived was empty of the majority of her belongings. Wash thinks she finally followed her heart and ran away with Lucas. Others think she ran away from the colony in grief after her mother passed away a week before. I think that she left to find the only thing that still mattered to her, since with her mother's passing there was nothing left to hold her back from reaching out to him. I hope she's happy.

My parents are the same as usual. They're glad that I went to look for Taylor and Mark that day. Things would have never been the same otherwise. They spend most of their time with Zoey – she's growing up really quickly and Dad has a hard time with that.

Josh, well… He's still Josh. He's still working at Boylan's and he's still angry over Kara's death –now more so with Skye's disappearance. I hope he works out his demons eventually. Life is too short…

And Mark? Well, I still love him. Things haven't changed much between us. He had a long and tedious recovery from his wounds after we came back and though sometimes it seemed as if he wouldn't pull through, he did. Now he's healthy as a horse and back on the job.

But one thing did change.

This time around I have a different ring on my finger.

An engagement ring.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you all for those who've been reading this story and reviewing. This was really my first story on ff that I actually pulled through and finished. Took a while, but it happened and to be honest it was all because of your lovely reviews. I really appreaciated them. I checked the traffic stats for this story the other day and it has been viewed over 20,000 times! I want to thank all of you who read it.<strong>

**Again, I'm lucky that I had so many loyal viewers and reviewers :)  
>.xoxo<strong>


End file.
